The first uneven practice of Drake Maye’s third NFL season arrived before the New England Patriots put on pads.
Maye struggled with his accuracy during Sunday’s second training camp practice, allowing a talented New England defense to take control of the competitive periods.
Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar described it as a “shaky day” for Maye, reporting that the defense made several plays on the football and that the quarterback was “a little inaccurate.”
The most damaging mistake ended with Craig Woodson recording the first interception of camp. Maye threw high for A.J. Brown, the ball was tipped and Woodson completed the turnover.
Mark Daniels reported that the defense caused problems through the first two full-team periods. Christian Gonzalez broke up one pass, Woodson intercepted another and Milton Williams deflected a throw at the line.
Drake Maye’s Accuracy Draws Early Attention
One poor July practice won’t have too much influence on the season, particularly during the NFL’s required ramp-up period.
The Patriots will not hold their first practice in full pads until Thursday, and the opening sessions remain closer to offseason installation work than regular-season preparation.
The pattern is still worth watching because Maye and Brown are building a connection that will determine the viability of New England’s passing game.
Their first competitive rep of camp produced a miss on Saturday.
Maye attempted a back-shoulder throw to Brown against Gonzalez, but the pass sailed high enough that Brown needed to attempt a twisting, one-handed catch near the sideline.
Bleacher Report’s Thomas R. Petersen called it a bad overthrow, while Maye took responsibility afterward.
“I was going to try to start off camp with a bang,” Maye said, via 98.5 The Sports Hub. “But I’ve gotta make a better throw for him.”
Maye recovered Saturday by connecting with Kayshon Boutte on a deep completion and finding Hunter Henry down the seam, but Sunday didn’t provide the same rally.
Patriots Defense Gives Maye the Test He Needs
The interceptions and breakups also provided encouraging evidence for a defense expected to challenge New England’s offense every day.
Gonzalez continues to practice in full despite ongoing contract negotiations. Woodson entered camp with a starting season and a Super Bowl appearance behind him.
Williams can disrupt throws without reaching the quarterback, as he showed Sunday, while Carlton Davis III adds another experienced cornerback opposite Gonzalez.
That group is capable of making a slightly late or misplaced pass look worse than it might against a thinner secondary. Nonetheless, putting pressure on Maye with a top NFL defense can help his growth more after his rapid rise.
Maye completed 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season, per Pro Football Reference.
He finished second in NFL MVP voting and now enters his second consecutive season with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the first time he has kept the same play-caller in back-to-back years since high school.
The Patriots also want to operate faster after ranking 28th in pace and 17th in offensive plays per game in 2025. Ultimately, this place more responsibility on Maye to diagnose coverage and deliver the ball before the defense can settle.
Maye’s response Monday will matter more than an unsteady practice, and the Patriots’ defense has already made sure he has something to address.
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